


Winter Chill

by mossy_gremlin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bedsharing, Cuddling, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, PWP, Smut, Somnophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:58:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21618391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mossy_gremlin/pseuds/mossy_gremlin
Summary: Merlin shivers in his sleep. Arthur warms him up.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 393





	Winter Chill

**Author's Note:**

> wow. ok so this turned out way smuttier than it was meant to but -- i mean.

The fire was burning low when Arthur returned; unsurprising for the late hour. The dying heat was far too weak to ward off the incoming cold of the winter that already seeped through the castle walls. The chill of the room raised goosebumps along his arms as he undressed, fingers swift with practiced ease.

He paused when he found the bed already occupied by a sleeping figure. Merlin lay still, limbs tucked in close and curled up beneath the sheets like a child, as if huddling for warmth. Arthur put a hand to Merlin’s head and frowned when he felt him shiver and lean into the touch.

He slipped under the covers and lined himself up against Merlin’s back, arms around his waist, and pressed his heat into his spine until the tremors ceased. It was not the first time Merlin had shared his bed – far from it, in either sense, but the times were often scarce and far apart, especially in the warmer seasons. It was a matter of necessity; the fickle nature of castle gossip prevented them from being too careless. He knew too well that it only took a spark to start a blazing trail of gossip. Still, Arthur relished these quiet moments, no matter how few and far between. With winter creeping in and freezing the earth, he silently worried Merlin would catch his death sleeping in those drafty quarters – especially if he was still cold here, under thick layers of blankets, in Arthur’s.

Arthur pressed himself closer to Merlin’s back and slipped a hand down to his hip, thumb slowly tracing back and forth along the hard ridges of his pelvis. The bone was worryingly sharp; he needed to eat more, he thought. With a pang he realised he hadn’t noticed until now, too preoccupied with his duties as regent.

Merlin stirred and shuffled under the covers, head lolling towards him, but did not wake. In the dim light of the fire, Merlin’s face was smooth and soft, giving the fleeting illusion of youth (where had all the time gone?), slightly flushed from the combined heat of the blankets and Arthur’s presence.

The sight stirred something within him and Arthur moved his hand further down, slipping beneath Merlin’s bedclothes. He inched forward with tentative slowness, fingers twitching, until it rested a mere breath away from Merlin’s flaccid cock.

Arthur held his breath as he reached out and took it in his hand, startlingly warm against his chilled fingers. He only hesitated a moment before he gave it a soft, experimental tug. Merlin sighed through open lips, but barely stirred otherwise. Arthur pressed a soft kiss to his neck, and only removed his hand to lave his fingers and palm with saliva, getting it slick and wet before returning to his attentions. Merlin whimpered as his cock slowly hardened in Arthur’s fist, instinctively pressing his weight back into Arthur’s chest.

He slid his thumb over the head of his cock, in slow swipes, gathered the slickness that had leaked there into his palm. He wanted to taste it, take Merlin’s cock in his mouth and lick at him, flushed and heavy on his tongue until he came undone moaning his pleasure into Arthur’s mouth and pushing it down his throat. By now he was also achingly hard, his cock stiff and flush against Merlin’s arse, and he wanted nothing more than to simply rut against him until he came.

Arthur began to increase the speed of his strokes listening to the breathy moans and gasps coming from Merlin’s throat. He seemed to be stirring. Merlin’s eyelashes fluttered wildly against his skin, and suddenly blinked open as he woke.

“Arthur,” Merlin gasped, sounding half surprised and half like he didn’t care. His eyes slid shut again as Arthur leant down to kiss him. Long fingers twined into his hair, petting him softly. The heat of Arthur’s arousal flared at the way Merlin panted against his lips, breathy and wet and he gritted his teeth as he ground himself into his arse, craving the friction. Merlin twisted in his arms, and began to cant his hips forward to fuck Arthur’s hand. Arthur hissed and tightened his grip on Merlin’s hip in warning, which was enough to elicit a soft whimper, and shoved Merlin’s pants down to free his cock.

He didn’t waste a moment in re-slicking his hand and moving it back onto Merlin’s cock, jerking him firm and rough and a little erratic, both of them tensing, nearing the point of desperation. Moments later, Merlin shuddered in his arms as he came, throwing his head back and groaning into Arthur’s mouth, kissing him sloppy and sweet before collapsing back onto the pillows. His chest heaved as he caught his breath through wet, abused lips, pliant and silent for once.

Arthur took himself in hand, lathering his cock until it was wet with spend, and slid into the hot space between Merlin’s legs. He thrust into it, once, as his hands tightened around Merlin’s waist.

“Yeah,” he heard Merlin whisper. A hand brushed his cheek. “Come on. Come for me.”

He grunted and came a few moments later, rutting frantically against him.

Arthur draped an arm over Merlin’s chest, pale gold in the firelight, the both of them drowsy with the promise of sleep.

“You’re cleaning that up tomorrow,” Merlin muttered, referring to the mess between his legs. Arthur yawned in reply.

“You’re the sorcerer.”

“It’s your mess,” he retorted, not even sparing him a glance.

They fell silent, both too tired for words. The final log in the hearth crackled and fell, sending a fresh wave of heat across the room while Merlin sniffed and huddled closer. Arthur desperately wanted to stay in this moment, to capture it, his body pressed close against Merlin’s and warding off the cold together. Tomorrow he would have to meet with the council to discuss the grain storage for the long winter that promised to come. And he and Merlin would not touch, except to fleetingly brush their fingers together, even when he wanted nothing more than to feel the comforting weight of Merlin’s hand on his shoulder as he decided the fate of his people’s livelihoods.

But right now, Arthur thought, morning could wait. He yawned again. He would just close his eyes for a minute...


End file.
